Basin wrench



Jul 18, 1939. Lg-QARPE D 2,166,449

BASIN WRENCH Filed Dec. 27, 1958 Lola's S/zar e H15 ATTORNE Patented July 18, 1939 UNITED STATES ATEN ric

3 Claims.

15 axis of the jaws so that the latter may be adjusted for right or left-hand action.

' A further object is the provision of simple detent means for securing the Wrench jaw assembly in a desired position of adjustment.

20 Yet another object is the provision of means coacting with the adjustment detent means for releasing the Wrench head or jaw assembly for easy removal from the holder or handle, said means being further arranged for snap-action to facilitate insertion of the wrench head or jaw set into the holder.

Other objects, novel aspects, and economies peculiar to the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds in view of the annexed drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of use of the novel wrench;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the Wrench as it would be seen looking down in Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary vertical section through the head of the holder or handle with the jaw assembly in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a cross section through the latch means as viewed along line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective cut-away view of the jaw and modified mounting and catch means;

- Fig. 6 is a. vertical section through the mounting means or head of Fig. 5 and illustrating the snap-in mounting of the jaw assembly; and

Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrative of the curvature of the coacting jaws.

The invention is of general application to interchangeable, adjustable, or demountable wrenches of all descriptions, but is particularly applicable to the ofiset reversible jaw type of wrench illustrated in Fig. 1. This type of wrench is peculiarly adapted to working in confined spaces otherwise inaccessible to ordinary wrenches, especially, for

- example, beneath basins for application and removement about an axis normal to the pivotal moval of nipples and. nuts in mounting and removing water cocks and the like, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. j v I In its preferred form, a wrench, constructed in accordance with the invention, includes a holder or handle in the form .of an elongated member in! having an enlarged head portion H at one end and transversely slidable handle or lever rod l2 at its opposite end.

As viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, the wrench proper 10 or jaw assembly includes a pair of cooperating jaw members l3 and I4 pivotally joined by any suitable means l5. The jaw i4 is considered a relatively stationary or mounting jaw and is provided with a mounting stud l6 which fits easily into a transverse bore ll (Figs. 5 and 6) in the handle head I I, so that the mounting jaw may be rotated about an axis transverse to the length of the handle shank. Thus, the wrench jaws may be moved into the horizontal position seen in Figs. 1 and'2 (for left-hand turning) or into relatively vertical position of Fig. 3 to use the handle shank l 0 as along lever arm, or into a horizontal position-reverse to that of Fig. l (and partly seen in Fig. 5) for right-hand turning. Intermediate positions may be provided for, as will appear hereinafter.

Meansfor releasably securing the jaw assembly in desired positions of adjustment, includes the provision of a pin or detent 2E3 mounted at one end in a boss 2| projecting laterally of the handle shank l0, and at its Opposite end in a small bore leading transversely into the main bore ll, so that the detent pin 20 may be shifted axially back and forth ina direction parallel to the length of the handle,- and hence transversely into and out of the bore for the mounting stud.

The mounting stud I6 is provided with a plulrality of transversely directed indentations or holes 23 (Figs. 3, 4., 6) into which the rounded end or nose of the detent pin 20 may project to lock the stud against rotative movement. A spring 24 expands on the pin between the boss 2| and a cotter pin 25 and hence the detent is normally and yieldingly urged into the stud bore ll for engagement in one of the holes 23 in the stud. In the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3 the stud is prevented from working out of the bore by a cotter pin 26. By depressing a handle 22 (having an arcuated inner surface guidedly sliding against the handle iii) the nose of the detent pin may be Withdrawn and the jaw member l l rotated into a desired position corresponding to the position of one of its holes 23 in alignment with the detent.

When the jaw assembly is thus adjusted, it will be observed that no separation or dismounting of the parts is necessary, as was the case with prior art devices of this class.

In the modified arrangement of Figs. 5 and 6, a circumferential groove or track 30 is circumscribed about the stud into the holes 23, and the cotter pin 26 is dispensed with, because the detent needs only be depressed part way to withdraw the same from any notch or hole 23 to permit the stud to turn freely, the nose of the detent nevertheless remaining in the groove or track to prevent withdrawal of the stud from the bore. By depressing the detent all of the way, the nose thereof will be fully withdrawn from the groove, and the stud and jaw assembly may be removed for replacement by another set of jaws or another tool.

To further facilitate the interchange of jaws and tools in the holder, the studs I6 are provided with a beveled or rounded camming nose 3| which bears against the similarly rounded nose 20a of the detent and cams the latter out of the Way as the stud enters the bore, the detent snapping automatically into latching engagement in one of the holes 23.

An important feature of the invention is the peculiar disposition of the grasping teeth in arcuate groups arranged so that there will always be at least one tooth in each jaw positioned for'cooperation with a tooth in the other jaw between the limits of relative movement of the jaws.

Reference to Fig. 7 will disclose that the full line illustration of the relatively movable jawl3 has its individual work engaging formations or teeth arranged in two contiguously arcuate groups [3a and BI). These groups may be considered to lie in an outwardly curved work engaging surface of the jaw l3, this curved surface being complex in so far as it comprises at least two curves (corresponding to groups I3a and i317) each having its own radial center. For example, the jaw l 3 in its uppermost dotted line position is arranged to illustrate the radial center for the group I3a, this center being indicated at A and it being observed that this center lies on a side of the work engaging surface or teeth toward the other jaw l4. The center for the radius of the curvature of the other group of teeth I3?) is illustrated in the lower dotted line position of the jaw l3 and indicated at B, and likewise it will be observed that this center B lies on a side of the work engaging surface or teeth toward the other jaw l4. Thus, the radial centers for the groups of arcuately arranged teeth in the larger or movable jaw are disposed on the same side of the teeth and on a side thereof toward the companion jaw.

It is of further importance to observe in connection with the groups of teeth l3a and 13b that the apices of the teeth of any group are directed generally toward the center of the radius 'of curvature for that group; this is illustrated by the terminal radii I30 and Kid extending through the apices of the endmost teeth of the group 13a to converge at the center A. Stated in another way, the apices of the teeth of any group lie on the radii through the center of curvature of. that group, and therefore necessarily lie in the are which subtends the angle l3cA--I3d, this angle being defined herein, and recited in the claims as the angle of inclusion of the group of teeth which it subtends. In the same manner, the group of teeth I322 lies in an arc subtending the angle formed by terminal radii l3e and I3 converging in the center B.

The arrangement of the teeth in the companion or fixed jaw differs from that in the movable jaw in that the teeth lie in two arcuate groups, the centers of curvature of which lie on opposite sides of the work engaging surface. For example, one group of teeth l4a lies on an outwardly curved portion of the work engaging surface of the jaw l4 and extends from a free end portion Mb of said jaw in a general direction back toward the pivotal connection l5 and merges into the oppositely or outwardly curved group of teeth I40 which extends in a general direction back toward the pivotal connection I5. Thus, the work engaging surface or formation on the fixed jaw I4 is of undulatory or sinuous curvature and is curved outwardly around the free end portion of said jaw and inwardly toward the pivot point. The center of curvature for the group of teeth I la is indicated at C, and it will be observed that this center lies on an opposite side of the workengaging surface, in which the two groups lie, from the center D of the group Me, the latter center lying on that side of the work engaging surface which isnearest the other jaw l3. As in the case of the teeth of the jaw l3, the apices of the teeth' in groups Ma and Me lie on radii through the corresponding centers of curvature of their 'r'espectivegroups.

As a result of the foregoing particular arrangement of the work engaging surfaces and formations, the wrench is adapted to grasp any object which will fit between the jawsso long as a tooth or teeth of at least one group in, one

jaw can engage the object cooperably with a the center of another tooth in a group in the other jaw which engages the object. Viewed from still another aspect, the arrangement of the teeth in the jaws is such that in the movement of the jaws from maximum to minimum grasping relationship, there will always be at least one tooth in one jaw extended in a direction to cooperate with at least one tooth in the other jaw to grasp the article.

Another advantage of the particular arrangement of the teeth resides in the ability of the jaws to engage hexagonal or square nuts with more 1 than two points of bearing, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. This is of importance in plumbing work Where the wrench may be designed for certain standard fittings of this type.

The preferred embodiment of the invention set forth herein has been described in detail for .pur-

poses of illustration, it being understood that the objects of the invention may be accomplished by other forms and arrangements of the specific means set forth, so that the invention is not to be limited to any precise details of form, location, or function except as may be exclusively provided hereinafter in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: i

1. A wrench including pivoted jaws, one of said jaws having a mounting stud projecting therefrom normally to the pivotal axis thereof, an

elongated handle member provided with a transverse bor'e, said stud being inserted in said bore for rotative movement, a detent member mounted on said handle near said bore for movement in a direction transversely 'into said stud, spring means normally urging said detent member into engagement with said stud, said stud having a plurality of detent engaging formations arranged circumferentially thereabout and aligned for engagement with the detent member by rotative movement of the stud and jaws relative to said handle, said stud being provided with a detent track circumscribing the same through said detent engaging formations whereby said detent member may be withdrawn from said detent engaging formations while remaining in said detent track to permit rotative movement of the stud and prevent withdrawal of the stud from said bore.

2. A wrench including pivoted jaws, one of which is provided with a mounting stud projecting therefrom in a direction transverse of the pivotal axis of the jaws, a handle having a bore into which said stud is received for rotative movement of the same and the jaws relative to the handle, said stud having a circumscribing groove thereabout, detent means mounted on said handle and yieldingly urged into said bore and into said groove in the stud, said stud having a plurality of detent locking formations disposed thereabout in said groove and into which said detent means projects to lock the stud and jaws against movement relative to the handle, said detent means being withdrawn from said detent locking formations but not from said groove to prevent adjusting rotative movement of the jaws relative to the handle, said detent means being completely withdrawn from said groove to permit withdrawal of the stud from the bore.

3. A wrench including pivoted jaws, one of which is provided with a mounting stud projecting therefrom in a direction transverse of the pivotal axis of the jaws, a handle having a bore into which said stud is received for rotative movement of the same and the jaws relative to the handle, said stud having a oircumscribing groove thereabout, detent means mounted on said handle and yieldingly urged into said bore and into said groove in the stud, said stud having a plurality of detent locking formations disposed thereabout in said groove and into which said detent means projects to lock the stud and jaws against movement relative to the handle, said detent means being withdrawn from said detent locking formations but not from said groove to prevent adjusting rotative movement of the jaws relative to the handle, said detent means being completely withdrawn from said groove to permit withdrawal of the stud from the bore, said stud having an end portion sloped to provide a'camming surface, and said detent means having an inner extremity normally disposed in said bore and sloped to provide a camming surface coacting with the camming surface on the stud when the latter is inserted into the bore to cam said detent means out of the way, said detent means automatically engaging in said groove when the latter is aligned therewith by insertion of the stud as aforesaid.

LOUIS SHARPE. 

